I enter the house and squeeze my way through the crowd. Barrington had a football game tonight and they won so the entire school is here celebrating. Barrington isn’t known for their athletics so whenever they win at any type of sport, everyone celebrates.
When parents pay millions a year for kids to attend, they don’t need to have a good athletic program.
Walking into the kitchen, I see Sarah standing at the large island, a drink in one hand and her other holding the hand of a Lord by the name of Gunner. I’ve seen him around. The ring on his finger is hard to miss when you know what to look for.
She looks over and smiles at me. “Elli.” Pulling away from Gunner, she wraps her arms around me.
I look over her shoulder to see Gunner searching behind me. His eyes scanning the room before they drop to mine. He sees I’m alone.
He’ll tell Sin.
Good. Let that motherfucker know I’m not at home crying over him.
“Want a drink?” she asks, pulling away.
I’m not as close with Sarah as Kira is, but I’ve spoken to her before. Her and her friend Blakely. I haven’t seen her around much lately, though. I feel like everyone’s lives have changed since the Lords had their vow ceremony. “I’d love one,” I answer, pushing a piece of hair behind my ear and avoiding Gunner’s stare.
She looks over to the guy making drinks and orders me one before looking back at me. “Did Kira come with you? I messaged her earlier and she never read it.”
“I haven’t spoken to her.” I need to apologize to her. Just because Sin didn’t turn out to be the guy I wanted him to be doesn’t mean that Corbin can’t be who she wants. Not everyone has my bad luck.
“Here you go.” The guy hands Sarah the drink and she gives it to me.
“Thank you,” I say and lift it to take a sip, but an arm falls over my shoulders, pulling me into a body. I look up into a familiar set of green eyes.
“Hey, Elli.”
I let out a nervous breath, thankful it’s not Sin. “Hey, Holland.” It’s Marcus’s friend that I ran into at Blackout.
He lifts his eyes to Gunner and nods, but Gunner doesn’t acknowledge him in any way. His eyes are still on me, making me nervous. Just to further my point, he finally speaks, “Where’s Sin, Ellington?”
The way he uses my full name makes my heart race. The Lords have a way of making the simplest word a threat. “I don’t know, Gunner.” I give him a tight smile. “Why would I know that?” Lifting the drink, I take a gulp, hissing in a breath at the burn.
“Gunner—” Sarah says softly, placing her hand on his chest.
He ignores her. “Does he know you’re here?”
My eyes narrow on him. “Why don’t you call and ask him?” I don’t know why I’m engaging in a fight I can’t win.
Lie.
I know why. I want to bait him. I want Gunner to call Sin and tell him I’m here. I want to see him show up and drag me out of here, kicking and screaming. I want everyone to see that I belong to him. That I’m not a secret anymore. I want the world to see that he’s cheating on the woman he’s going to marry. Fuck my consequences with Chance. It’ll be worth it. Just to know that someone would tell Amelia that Sin cares about me.
“Sin?” Holland questions, finally joining in on the conversation. “Since when would he care about you?”
My shoulders drop at his words. The truth hitting me like a slap to the face. The only reason Gunner knows anything is because he’s a Lord. Amelia was probably right that they all sit around and laugh about the women they fuck. I’m just another girl on his long list of hookups.
Even if Sin came barging into the party and dragged me out, no one would think twice as to why. He did it once and the only rumors that started spreading the next day was that I fucked three guys. None of which named Sin as one of them.
I take a big gulp of the drink while Gunner glares at me once again. Sarah looks uncomfortable, biting her bottom lip nervously.
“Want a little something stronger than that?” Holland asks, breaking the tension and taking the drink from my hand, setting it on the counter. “Come on.” He doesn’t even wait for an answer.
I allow him to pull me out of the kitchen and down a hall. He brings me to a set of stairs and into a new room. It’s darkly lit with neon signs hanging on the back wall. Guys and girls sit in chairs and lounge on the couch, a pool table is to the right and a small bar in the corner.
“Hey, man.” Holland commands as we enter, “She needs something.”
I frown, looking at the guy he’s talking to. “Mack?” He sits back reclined in a chair.